Annex: Correspondence between Human Rights Watch and the Israeli Civil Administration Regarding Status of the Land on which New Houses Are Being Built

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1 Annex: Correspondence between Human Rights Watch and the Israeli Civil Administration Regarding Status of the Land on which New Houses Are Being Built Sari Bashi From: Sari Bashi Sent: Monday, February 19, :00 PM To: Civil Administration / Bureau / Public Liaison / Public Liaison Officer - Shir Subject: Questions regarding status of land in Alfei Menashe, Amirei Nof Project Attachments: Map of civil admin question-amieri.nof.pdf; registration block 39-parcel 7.jpg Greetings, I am contacting you with a request for information about the status of land where a new project is under construction in Alfei Menashe. The information is requested for the purpose of a report currently being prepared by Human Rights Watch, which analyzes the activities of Israeli banks in West Bank settlements in the context of their human rights and humanitarian law responsibilities. Human Rights Watch is an independent nongovernmental organization that monitors and reports on human rights in 90 countries around the world. Our Israel and Palestine team researches and reports human rights violations by Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Please find my questions below: 1. A construction project implemented by the Zemah Hamerman company, Amirei Nof, is currently underway in Giv at Tal in Alfei Menashe. a. Does the project comply with an approved zoning plan? If so, according to which plan and when was the plan approved? BANKROLLING ABUSE 36

2 b. Maps in the possession of the Civil Administration, which had been forwarded to Israeli organization Kerem Navot indicate that Amieri Nof is being built in an area declared state land in However, according to the maps, it appears that the eastern section of the area was removed from the state land declaration in 2014 by the Blue Line Team. Attached please find a copy of the map marking the area that was removed from the declaration. The main coordinate in this particular area is / Was this section in fact removed from the state land declaration? If so, why? Is this privately-owned land? What is the status of this area? Is construction permitted in this area according to the Israeli authorities? 2. Parcel 7, Block 39, marked on the attached map, is located near the area in which the Alfei Menashe project is being built. According to Civil Administration maps, part of this area was declared state land in 1980, and homes had been built there. Taxation records, attached herewith, list the Suliman family of the village of Azzun as the registered owners of Parcel 7, Block 39. If this is the case, why has part of the area been declared state land? 3. In the northern part of Elkana, near the village of Mas-ha, two housing projects are underway, Ahdut Elkana (coordinates , ), implemented by Mishab and Mishkenot Elkana (coordinates , ) by Shoham. According to the Civil Administration maps, these projects are being built in an area declared as state land. What year was the declaration made? Please provide your response to these questions no later than March 7, 2018, so that we can reflect it in our publication. Please contact me with any questions you may have or requests for clarification at: xxxxxxxx or xxxxxxxxx or xxxxxxxxx Please confirm receipt of this . Sincerely, Adv. Sari Bashi Israel and Palestine Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch xxxxxxxx Skype: xxxxx Mobile phone: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx -unclassified HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH MAY 2018

3 [emblem] Israel Defense Force Civil Administration Judea and Samaria Area Public Liaison Freedom of Information Iyar April 2018 To Adv. Sari Bashi by XXXXXXXXX Re: Your letter regarding construction in Alfei Menashe Response of Civil Administration Judea and Samaria Area Ref: Yours dated February 19, We hereby confirm receipt of your letter regarding the matter in reference. Please see the response of the Civil Administration Judea and Samaria Area: a. An inquiry we conducted with respect to the Nofei Amirim project indicates that the land in question is administered by the Supervisor of Government and Abandoned Property. Construction is permitted inasmuch as it complies with the plan approved for the area in b. Noting that the taxation records do not include maps, we were unable to locate the property which is the subject of your letter. Inasmuch as you wish us to conduct a repeat inquiry, please provide us with the taxation records as well as an aide on which the plot is marked. 2. FYI Sincerely, [signed] Bar--Naorani, Captain Public Liaison Officer BANKROLLING ABUSE 38

4 Office of the Head of the Civil Administration CC: Head of the Civil Administration Bureau Chief, Civil Administration Head of Infrastructure Section Public Liaison Section, Civil Administration, Judea and Samaria Area Tel: XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX Fax: XXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXX HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH MAY 2018

5 -unclassified- -1- [emblem] Israel Defense Force Civil Administration Judea and Samaria Area Public Liaison Freedom of Information Iyar April 2018 To Adv. Sari Bashi by XXXXXXXXX Re: Your letter regarding construction in Elkana Response of Civil Administration Judea and Samaria Area Ref: Yours dated February 19, We hereby confirm receipt of your letter regarding the matter in reference. Please see the response of the Civil Administration Judea and Samaria Area: a. An inquiry we conducted with respect to the two sets of coordinates indicated in your letter, we note that with respect to coordinates , , the declaration was made in b. With respect to coordinates , , we note that this is an open area that does not match the description in your letter according to which construction is underway at that location. Inasmuch as you were referring to the line of houses located northwest of the above coordinates, there is a valid zoning plan which is included in the area mentioned in the seizure order for the settlement. 4. FYI Sincerely, BANKROLLING ABUSE 40

6 [signed] Bar--Naorani, Captain Public Liaison Officer Office of the Head of the Civil Administration CC: Head of the Civil Administration Bureau Chief, Civil Administration Head of Infrastructure Section Public Liaison Section, Civil Administration, Judea and Samaria Area Tel: XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXX Fax: XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXX HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH MAY 2018